Can you buy in bulk and at a discount foods at any of the stores on the island? Or how about at San Pedro or in the City?Stuff like flour, rice, dry beans, spices, canned foods.Also is there a health food store on the island or in San Pedro?thanks

Frank and Natalie Ross"May you always have a seashell in your pocket and sand in your shoes"

Greenhouse has healthy foods .... including some gluten free items, and organic grains, quinoa etc.Village Market has a gluten free items.Wide variety of "natural" brand vitamins available at the purple pharmacy on middle street - across from Izzy's juice bar.Izzy's juice bar is as healthy as it gets. Yummy.There is a "health food" store in Belize City located near Save-U. It occupies a portion of an auto parts store (husband and wife each pursuing their passions ...). Check with friendly restaurant owners for sources of large quantities of staple goods. IF you don't consume things quickly remember that they go stale and buggy quickly in this environment. I store all my dried beans and rices in the frig. Super-Buy has institutional sized canned goods. Island City has a variety of unusual Asian goods - including some interesting ginger teas.

Note: the stores listed above are in San Pedro and Belize City. That's probably clear but I thought I'd point it out since this post is in the Caye Caulker forum.

Food & Beverage in Belize City sells restaurant-sized products. Examples of what I buy there are: 3 pound bags of chocolate chips, gallon-sized olive oil, huge jars of kalamata olives (we make a lot of tapanade), industrial-sized cans of tomato sauce and bulk-sized cleaning products, many of which are "eco-freindly". Or friendlier, anyway. Personally, since I live next to the sea I make most of my cleaning products from vinegar and baking soda which is also cheaper.

I do a lot of my shopping not in stores but buying directly from people who make and grow food. I deposit $ in their account, they send stuff by Tropic Air or water taxi. I also buy from the excellent Health Food store in Spanish Lookout that same way. On Caulker we also do a lot of group buys for things to get cheaper prices.

I just want to add that consumer items in general, including food, on caye caulker are expensive and often difficult to get. Everything has been flown or barged in. I think people who move here from elsewhere either learn to make do with less, or get used to not having stuff they are used to getting or they get frustrated and leave. Shopping is like a scavenger hunt and over the course of years (yes years, not weeks) you find connections for things you want / need. There is no way to search the web for this stuff though Facebook is bringing it somewhat in to the open. One person brings in greens, another fruit. Someone makes coconut oil. Not people who own stores, just people making stuff or buying bulk and sharing. They aren't (always) making a profit, just sharing expenses with friends, though sometimes it's a person's living. Mostly, it's hard to prepare for life here using the internet. You have to spend time and create relationships. It can be frustrating but it's why many of us love Caye Caulker.